The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, examined the effect of sunlight on white fat cells that can be found right beneath the skin.

In an attempt to help people with type 1 diabetes, the researchers from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, were devising a way to genetically engineer the fat cells to produce insulin when exposed to light.

Along the way, they discovered that the sun's blue light helped shrink the cells.

A doctor in your pocket.1:22

The scientists then took samples of white fat cells from patients who were undergoing weight loss surgery and examined the reaction when revealed to sunlight.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Peter Light, from the Alberta Diabetes Institute, concluded that the amount of fat stored in the cells was reduced in the process.

“When the sun’s blue light wavelengths – the light we can see with our eye – penetrate our skin and reach the fat cells just beneath, lipid droplets reduce in size and are released out of the cell. In other words, our cells don’t store as much fat.”

Despite the breakthrough, Dr. Light warns that there are still many variables that have not being tested, and individuals should caution against taking the findings too literally by pursuing extreme sunlight exposure in an attempt to lose weight.

“We don’t yet know the intensity and duration of light necessary for this pathway to be activated.”

However, the findings mark the beginning for the development of new weight loss strategies or light-based therapies in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

“There is a lot of literature out there suggesting our current generation will be more overweight than their parents and maybe this feeds into the debate about what is healthy sunshine exposure,” Dr. Light explains.

“It certainly holds many fascinating clues for our team and others around the world to explore.”